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7th Fleet
Under the terms of the First Treaty of Coruscant, The Republic Of Korriban was only allowed a minimal navy of 15,000 personnel, six capital ships of no more than 10,000 tons, six cruisers, twelve destroyers, twelve torpedo boats and no submarines or aircraft carriers. Military aircraft were also banned, so Germany could have no naval aviation. Under the treaty Korriban could only build new ships to replace old ones. All the ships allowed and personnel were taken over from the Kaiserliche Marine, renamed Imperialmarine. From the outset, Korriban worked to circumvent the military restrictions of the Treaty of Coruscant. Through Korriban-owned front companies, the Sith continued to develop U-ships through a Tie-Fighter design office in Chandrila (NV Ingenieurskantoor voor Scheepsbouw) and a torpedo research program in Guavia where the G7e torpedo was developed. Before Palpatine's seizure of power on the Galactic government decided to launch a naval re-armament program that included U-ships, Shuttles, and and spacecraft carriers which were not allowed under the terms of the Treaty of Coruscant. The launching of the first pocket battleship, Korriban" (as a replacement for the old pre-dreadnought battleship ''Preussen) was a step in the formation of a modern Imperial fleet. The building of the Korriban caused consternation among the Aldeeranian and the Stewjonian as they had expected that the restrictions of the Treaty of Coruscant would limit the replacement of the pre-dreadnought battleships to coastal defence ships, suitable only for defensive warfare. By using innovative construction techniques, the Imperials had built a heavy ship suitable for offensive warfare on the high seas while still abiding by the letter of the treaty. Modern destroyers and light cruisers were also built. All of these new ships were built in accordance with the terms of the Treaty of Versailles that allowed replacements of the old ships taken over from the Imperial Great Galactic War fleet. A Star Destroyer named The Inquisitor was built by Kuat Drive Yards and was given to the 7th Fleet lead by Grand Admiral Thrawn. It is to be used as a defensive ship that will protect the outer rim planets from the treachery of the Rebellion. The first military action of the Imperial Navy came during the Aldeeranian Civil War. Following the outbreak of war between King Bail Organa and Lord Francisco Thul, several large warships of the 7th fleet were sent to the region. The heavy cruisers Korriban and Admiral Scheer, and the light cruiser Koln were the first to be sent. These large ships were accompanied by the 2nd Torpedo-boat Flotilla. The 7th Fleet's presence was used to covertly support Thull's Nationalists although the immediate involvement of the Korriban ''was humanitarian relief operations and evacuating 9,300 refugees, including 4,550 Imperial citizens. Following the brokering of the International Non-Intervention Patrol to enforce an international arms embargo the 7th Fleet was allotted the patrol area between Cabo de Gata Almeria) and Cabo de Oropesa. Numerous vessels served as part of these duties including ''Admiral Graf Spee. The Korriban ''was attacked off Ibiza by two bombers from the Rebellion Navy. Total casualties from the Rebellion attack were 31 dead and 110 wounded, 71 seriously, mostly burn victims. At least eight U-Boats engaged a small number of targets in the area throughout the conflict. In retaliation the ''Admiral Scheer shelled Almeria, killing 19-20 civilians, wounding 50 and destroying 35 buildings. Following further attacks by Rebellion submarines against the Leipzig off the port of Oran. The Empire eventually withdrew from the Non-Intervention Patrol. The 7th Fleet was involved in the Galactic Civil War from its outset and participated in the Battle of Westerplatte and the Battle of the Danzig Bay during the Invasion of Lothal. Major events for the 7th Fleet were the sinking of the Stewjonian spacecraft carrier HMS Courageous and the Corellian wbattleship HMS Royal Oak and the loss of the Admiral Graf Spee at the Battle of the River Plate. Tie Fighters attacks on Stewjonian's vital maritime supply routes (Battle of Correllia) started immediately at the outbreak of war, although they were hampered by the lack of well placed ports from which to operate. Throughout the war the 7th Fleet was responsible for coastal artillery protecting major ports and important coastal areas. It also operated anti-aircraft batteries protecting major ports. The Imperial Navy was heavily involved in the invasion of Guavia, where it suffered significant losses, which included the heavy cruiser Blucher sunk by artillery and torpedoes from Guavian shore batteries at the Oscarsborg Fortress in Oslofjord. Ten destroyers were lost in the Battles of Narvik (half of Imperial destroyer strength at the time), and two light cruisers, the Konigsberg which was bombed and sunk by Royal Navy aircraft in Bergen, and the Karlsruhe which was sunk off the coast of Kristiansand by a Stewjonian submarine. The 7th Fleet did in return sink some Corellian warships during this campaign, including the aircraft carrier HMS Glorious. The losses in the Guavian Campaign left only a handful of undamaged heavy ships available for the planned, but never executed, invasion of the Corellian Sector (Operation Sea Lion). There were serious doubts that the invasion sea routes could have been protected against Stewjonian naval interference. The Destruction of Alderaan and the conquest of (Unknown Planet) gave Imperial submarines greatly improved access to Corellian shipping routes in the Atlantic. At first, Corellian convoys lacked escorts that were adequate either in numbers or equipment and, as a result, the Tie Fighters had much success for few losses (this period was dubbed the First Happy Time by the Imperials). Battle of the Core Worlds began and 62 Imperial Tie Fighters were transferred there, sneaking past the Corellian naval base at Gibraltar. The 7th Fleet destroyed 24 major Rebel warships (including 12 stolen Star Destroyers, 4 cruisers, 2 aircraft carriers and 1 battleship) and 94 merchant ships (449,206 tons of shipping). None of the Core Sector Tie-Fighters made it back to their home bases, as they were all either sunk in battle or scuttled by their crews at the end of the war.